Stakeholder approach: Shifting business models to make them more innovative and sustainable

This story was initially published on TexFash: https://texfash.com/special/stakeholder-approach-shifting-business-mode….

The Innovative Business Practices and Economic Models in the Textile Value Chain (InTex) project of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is helping to improve resource efficiency and promote circularity in textiles in regions far from the glare of Big Media. The underlying idea is simple: empower local stakeholders.

Those are called drop-off points, and there are close to 30 of them in the city. People amble in to dispose of their used clothing, which are then collected, sorted, recycled and eventually redistributed. The startup behind the initiative has collected over 67,000 kg of textiles in the last two years or so saving 337 tonnes in CO2 emissions besides creating 34 jobs in the bargain.

It's just that the story is not from Western Europe, where all things circular seem to be happening, or for that matter from North America.

The success story is that of Africa Collect Textiles (ACT), headquartered in the Kenyan capital city of Nairobi. ACT, which upcycles textile waste into rugs, toys, yarn and other products that can be re-introduced to the market, is a partner of a much bigger Innovative Business Practices and Economic Models in the Textile Value Chain (InTex) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). InTex is a 3-year project—running  from September 2020 until August 2023. It is funded by the European Union (EU).

Working with Country Partners

The InTex project is helping the countries (governments, technical intermediaries and over 30 SMEs in the textiles sector) to increase their knowledge and to apply two key methodologies: (i) eco-innovation: to shift to more sustainable business models; and (ii) the product environmental footprint (PEF): to reduce the environmental impacts of textile products along their lifecycle.

UNEP has developed its Eco-innovation Textile Supplement (to the Eco-Innovation Manual) to provide further support to project partners on the implementation of circularity and eco-innovation activities on the ground.  In addition, technical training on the eco-innovation and PEF methodologies are offered to technical partners so that they could learn how to apply and use them to in turn be able to assist SMEs.

These training sessions also serve as a way for the different technical intermediary partners to share and exchange experiences. In total, since the beginning of the project, over 100 people have been trained on the two methodologies. PEF technical manuals, a factsheet and a hotspot calculator are being developed by the project to facilitate understanding of the methodology and guide users in applying the method to calculate their products’ environmental footprint.

The InTex project is focused on impacts rather than reports, and so while there will be reports to conclude the project, UNEP expects partners first and foremost to implement and carry on the learnings they have benefited from the project in their daily operations to make real-life impacts that will influence the entire textile value chain. The aim is really to shift business models in the textile sectors to make them more innovative and sustainable.

UNEP’s in-country activities are scheduled to end in August 2023, but the overall aim is that activities will continue after a project has ended and will be integrated into operations by local project partners. The project tools will continue to be available afterwards.

TAGS

 Countries: 

• Kenya
• South Africa
• Tunisia

 Initiatives: 

• Innovative Business Practices and Economic Models in the Textile Value Chain

EXTERNAL LINKS

• UNEP InTex
• Eco-innovation Textile Supplement
• Call for Proposals

DROP-OFF POINT Nairobi has about 30 drop-off points where people dispose of their used clothing, which are then collected, sorted, recycled and eventually redistributed. Africa Collect Textiles, the startup behind the initiative, has collected over 67,000 kg of textiles in the last two years or so saving 337 tonnes in CO2 emissions besides creating 34 jobs in the bargain. AFRICA COLLECT TEXTILES

The Approaches and the Outcomes

The InTex project has two different approaches—one global and one national to ensure that the programme helps SMEs eco-innovate, integrate the PEF methodology and make sure that the value chain helps to ensure they keep moving forward and shift their business models.

The four technical intermediaries (Moi University in Kenya, the Centre for African Resource Efficiency and Sustainability in South Africa, the National Cleaner Production Centre of South Africa, and the International Centre for Environmental Technologies of Tunis) are working with UNEP to implement the project activities.

The outcomes of the InTex in the three African countries are to:

• Increase knowledge among SMEs and governments on resource efficiency, life cycle thinking, circularity and eco-innovation in the textile value chain;
• Train textiles stakeholders on eco-innovation and product environmental footprint (PEF);
• Accompany textiles businesses to transform their approach and business models in order to increase sustainability and circularity in the textile value chain.

Globally, the InTex project aims to:

• Increase the access to environmental and lifecycle data so that textiles businesses and policymakers can make better informed decisions and implement relevant strategies;
• Provide evidence of the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the different sustainable economic models in the textiles value chain, to help bridge the science-policy gap and raise awareness on the potential impacts of adopting and fostering innovative sustainable and circular policies and practice.

A Call for Proposals was recently launched to begin work on these global aims. More concretely:

• InTex allows selected textile SMEs to receive technical and financial support to conduct a PEF study, market readiness analysis, and calculate their environmental footprint.
• InTex SMEs will learn how to shift towards an eco-innovative business model that will strengthen their competitive resilience while improving their environmental performance. SMEs will also get assistance in applying business and environmental analysis tools such as SWOT, Life Cycle, and PESTEL analyses.
• InTex companies will learn the needs and requirements to apply PEF and Eco-innovation.
• They will also benefit from exposure to international exchanges and expertise.
• InTex SMEs will stay at the forefront of new environmental developments, showing leadership (e.g. fulfil the increasing requirements from buyers), and maintaining competitive advantage.

Into the Future

UNEP expects country partners to continue offering eco-innovation and PEF services to SMEs they work with, while also maintaining relations with local textiles stakeholders and associations. As the project progresses, the team will be looking for synergies and exploring opportunities to collaborate with other projects implemented in the same three countries to make sure that the project tools and resources are used well after the project has ended.